#1495: Women Riders And Boy Scouts Welcome Girls

On this week’s 51%, a woman’s experience at a motorcycle repair shop prompts her partner to weigh in on women riders; we hear from the first black female police officer in a certain Northeastern city; and Boy Scouts start letting in girls.

It has been a harsh winter in the Northeast. On the few days when I can feel the warmth of the sun, on the few days there is sun, I’m immediately transported to spring. And on one of those amazing spring weekend days, motorcycle sounds abound. So here’s a bit of the storied history of women motorcyclists sparked by an encounter with a tire mechanic.

That was Scotte Burns, in a piece produced by Lovin America.

Izinna Lytle is the first black female police officer for Pittsfield, a Massachusetts city in Berkshire County. She spoke with 51%’s Josh Landes about her new position. And she’s another example of the importance of role models.

That was Detective Kim Bertelli-Hunt at the end along with Izinna Lytle, the first black female police officer for Pittsfield, Massachusetts. They were speaking with 51%’s Josh Landes.

Recently, a local Boy Scouts of America organization in upstate New York for the first time opened up scouting to girls at the Cub Scout level. It’s the Twin Rivers Council, which includes scout groups from the Canadian border to the Capital Region. The move follows an announcement at the national level last fall that girls would be welcome in Boy Scouts.

To help explain how the so-called “family scouting” program is launching, 51%’s Lucas Willard spoke with Twin Rivers Council Assistant Scout Executive Dennis Dugan.

That was Twin Rivers Council Assistant Scout Executive Dennis Dugan. He says packs have begun recruiting girls. He was speaking with 51%’s Lucas Willard.

NEW YORK (AP) — Then chief of staff for former First Lady Michelle Obama will head The Recording Academy’s new task force focused on inclusion and diversity. The academy recently announced that Tina Tchen, a veteran lawyer who is also working on the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, will chair the new initiative. The Grammys announced the task force after its CEO drew criticism for saying women need to “step up” about the lack of female winners. This comment was backstage at its 60th awards show, held in January.

The task force plans to uncover biases and other barriers that impede women’s success in the music industry. Tchen says in a statement it’s “an important initial step by the Recording Academy to demonstrate its commitment to tackling these challenges in a comprehensive way.”

And that’s our show this week. Thanks to Patrick Garrett for production assistance. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock. Our theme music is Glow in the Dark by Kevin Bartlett. This show is a national production of Northeast Public Radio. If you’d like to hear this show again, sign up for our podcast, or visit the 51% archives on our web site at wamc.org. And follow us on Twitter @51PercentRadio

“Contributions to 51% #1495 come from the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.”